Needle jack for knitting machines



June 6, 1967 w. E. SPENCER NEEDLE JACK FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 7, 1965 FNVEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y 7 W mmMm WALTER E. SPENCER 5M QWMQ United States Patent C) v 7 3,323,329 NEEDLE .llACK FER KNITTING MACHINES Walter E. Spencer, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Wildrnan Jacquard (30., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 423,996 Claims. (Cl. 6614) This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the superimposed needle cylinder type and has particular reference to the jack or slider members adapted to cooperate with the so-called double-ended needles of such machines.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved needle actuating jack.

It is a further object to provide a needle actuating jack possessing a safety feature whereby machine damage is minimized in the event of breakage of the lower head portion of the knitting needle.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a needle actuating jack adapted to function in the lower needle cylinder having an integrally formed retaining recess which will receive and retain the lower head of a knitting needle should the latter be broken off during transfer of the needle from the lower to the upper cylinder or at other times for any other reason.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

Knitting machines of the superimposed needle cylinder type to which the instant invention is applicable include, as is well known to those familiar with the art, a lower or plain needle cylinder and an axially opposed upper or rib needle cylinder with a circular series of so-called doubleended latch needles for operation in said cylinders. Each cylinder includes needle actuating jacks or sliders with a cam means for effecting, through the medium of the jacks, selective transfer of needles from one cylinder to the other and vice versa.

As shown and described in United States Patent 2,465,465, the jacks grasp the hooks of the needles and for the most part are moved longitudinally by cams acting on butts projecting from the jacks.

The release of a needle from its respective jack for transfer from one needle bed to the other is effected by lifting the head or needle end of the jack from its bed, or in other words, this end of the jack is tilted outwardly from the needle cylinder to release the needle therefrom and provide clearance for its transfer to the opposing cylinder. In timed relation with this movement the opposing jack is caused to move longitudinally in its respective cylinder a distance suflicient to enable it to grasp the needle and then draw it into the needle bed of the opposing cylinder to perform its intended function according to the dictates of the knitting requirements.

During the needle transferring movement it is not uncommon for the hook portion of the needle to remain partly engaged with the jack of the cylinder it is being transferred from, or in other words, this jack when tilted outwardly from the cylinder, will if the needle is not in a position to be released tilt the engageable portion of the needle outwardly along with it. A condition of this nature is considered quite serious for when the opposing jack or that jack in the upper cylinder commences to draw the needle into the instrument bed of said upper cylinder, the unreleased hook portion of the needle is torn or sheared from the body of the needle. Aside from the necessary replacement of such a broken needle, this broken off portion or so-called needle head drops downwardly and becomes lodged between the inner side of the jack and the bed portion of the lower cylinder against which said jack is intended to slide. A condition of this nature will not allow the jack to tilt or pivot inwardly to its initial position and being caused to protrude outwardly from the cylinder beyond its normal limits, creates a jamming condition as well as damage to the jacks and the knitting machine itself.

The needle actuating jack according to the instant invention is provided on the inner side thereof and adjacent the needle retaining element with a needle head recess. This recess extends outwardly from the inner side of the jacks and longitudinally therewith a distance sufficient to provide clearance space for those needle heads broken off during the. transferring thereof from the lower to the upper cylinder. Should a needle head break off as heretofore described, the broken head will fall downwardly into this recess and as operation of the machine continues, the jack is permitted to pivot inwardly to its intended position. The broken needle head is retained within the recess and the knitting machine can continue to operate until this defect is detected without damaging the jacks or the machine itself.

The invention will be described in detail by reference to specific embodiments thereof one of which is illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a part of a links-andlinks type knitting machine showing a needle actuating jack according to the invention applied thereto; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 and on a slightly enlarged scale showing the manner in which broken needle heads are retained by the needle actuating acks. J Now referring to the figures of drawing, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a portion of a links-and-links type knitting machine having two coaxial needle cylinders, the upper of which is depicted by numeral 10 and the lower, by numeral 11. The opposed needle cylinders form the needle beds by means of equally spaced longitudinally extending and aligned slots disposed about the entire external extent of each of said cylinders. FIG. 1, being a sectional view, shows a portion of a groove in both the upper and lower cylinders as identified 'by numerals 12 and 13, respectively.

Forecuts depicted by numeral 14 are attached to the adjacent edges of the needle cylinders 10 and 11 and the space formed therebetween permits the passage of the fabric from the needles to the interior of the lower cylinder 11 as said fabric is formed.

Cam cylinders or juxtaposed cam blocks are mounted outside of and in close proximity with each needle cylinder. FIG. 1 delineates generally a portion of the lower needle cylinders cam cylinder by numeral 15 and it should be understood that the upper cylinder employs a similar cooperating cam cylinder.

Latch needles 16 (one only shown in FIG. 1) are of the conventional double-ended type, i.e., having a loop forming hook and latch at each end, and are transferable from one needle bed to the other as is distinctive of links-and-links type machines.

Opposed needle jacks are provided in each needle cylinder to operate each needle 16. The jack in the upper cylinder is depicted by numeral 17 and that in the lower, by numeral 18.

The camming elements 19 of the cam cylinder are disposed in close proximity to the outer edges of the jacks so as to confine the butts 20 thereof within their cam tracks for actuating said jacks according to the dictates of the knitting requirements all of which is well known to those conversant with the knitting art.

The needle jack 18 of the lower needle cylinder 11 constitutes the instant invention and includes the usual latch opening tip 21 and at a point removed therefrom the inner side of the jack is provided with an integrally formed projection 22 in the form of a hook which is adapted 3 to engage the hook portion of the needle for actuating the same in a downwardly direction. To actuate the needle in the opposite direction an integrally formed cooperating shoulder 23 is provided adjacent the projection 22 and when caused to move upwardly it presses against the end 'of said needle moving the same in a like direction.

That end of the jack opposite latch opening tip 21 includes a cam engaging foot 24 (FIG. 1) and as shOWn in this figure of drawing is adapted to be engaged by a cam 25 to tilt the upper portion of the jack outwardly from the needle cylinder 11. During this tilting movement, the end of the needle is pressing against the shoulder 23 and when reaching the limit of the tilting movement, projection 22 is in that position depicted in FIG. 1, thereby providing sufficient clearance for the needle 16 to be transferred to the opposing cylinder 10.

The needle jack 18 further includes a recess 26 which forms a part of said jacks inner side and is disposed intermediate the ends thereof and adjacent to the shoulder 23.

In operation, the butts 20 of the needle jacks, being confined within the raceways of cam members 19, control the longitudinal movement of said jacks along with the needles attached thereto. In the event a needle fails to become disengaged with a jack 18 when the knitting re quirements call for said needles transfer to the opposing cylinder 10, the drawing of said needle by the jack in the latter cylinder will cause the lower hooked portion 27 of the needle to be torn or sheared from the body portion of said needle. The jack 18, being tilted outwardly as shown in FIG. 1 during such needle head breakage, permits this hooked portion 27 to drop into the recess 26 and as the machine continues to function jack 18 is permitted to tilt inwardly to its initial position uninterrupted by the presence of said hooked portion 27. FIG. 2 shows the position that the hooked portion 27 is caused to assume when the jack 18 tilts inwardly to its normal operating position. This novel feature of providing a retaining space for such broken needle heads has alleviated substantially the damage incurred to the knitting machine and components thereof when such breakage occurred with needle jacks of the prior art.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. For a circular knitting machine having in combination a lower needle cylinder, an axially opposed upper needle cylinder, double-ended latch needles adapted to function in and selectively transferable from one to the other of said cylinders, needle actuating jacks in both said cylinders, said jacks being formed of strip material and disposed so as to define inner and outer sides thereof, the inner side of the jacks of said lower cylinder including a needle engaging shoulder and a recess adjacent and below said shoulder for receiving and retaining the heads of the needles lower portions should the latter break during the transferring thereof from the lower to the upper cylinder.

2. For a circular knitting machine having in combination a lower needle cylinder, an axially opposed upper needle cylinder, double-ended latch needles adapted to function in and selectively transferable from one to the other of said cylinders, needle actuating jacks in both said cylinders, said jacks being formed of strip material and disposed so as to define inner and outer sides thereof, the jacks of said lower cylinder including a needle engaging shoulder and a recess adjacent and below said shoulder for receiving and retaining the heads of the needles lower portions should the latter break during the transferring thereof from the lower to the upper cylinder, said recess extending outwardly from the inner side of the jacks and longitudinally therewith a distance sufficient to provide clearance space for the broken heads of said needles lower portions.

3. A needle jack for a knitting machine of the superimposed needle cylinder type ada-pted to function in con junction with cooperating needles, the latter being transferable from one cylinder to the other, said jack including inner and outer sides, said outer side being provided with an outwardly directed cam engageable butt, said inner side including adjacent one end of said jack an integrally formed needle engaging and retaining element, said inner side further including a recess adjacent and below said needle engaging and retaining element for receiving and retaining head end portions of needles broken during transfer thereof from one needle cylinder to the other.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said needle engaging and retaining element defines a hook of conforming configuration to the end portions of said needles.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein that end of said jack opposite to said needle engaging and retaining element includes a cam engaging foot for pivoting said jack to release said needle and provide clearance for its transfer to the opposing cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,000,460 8/1911 Ti-rnming 6657 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. RONALD FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner, 

1. FOR A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING IN COMBINATION A LOWER NEEDLE CYLINDER, AN AXIALLY OPPOSED UPPER NEEDLE CYLINDER, DOUBLE-ENDED LATCH NEEDLES ADAPTED TO FUNCTION IN AND SELECTIVELY TRANSFERABLE FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF SAID CYLINDERS, NEEDLE ACTUATING JACKS IN BOTH SAID CYLINDERS, SAID JACKS BEING FORMED OF STRIP MATERIAL AND DISPOSED SO AS TO DEFINE INNER AND OUTER SIDES THEREOF, THE INNER SIDE OF THE JACKS OF SAID LOWER CYLINDER INCLUDING A NEEDLE ENGAGING SHOULDER AND A RECESS ADJACENT AND BELOW SAID SHOULDER FOR RECEIVING AND RETAINING THE HEADS OF THE NEEDLES'' LOWER PORTIONS SHOULD THE LATTER BREAK DURING THE TRANSFERRING THEREOF FROM THE LOWER TO THE UPPER CYLINDER. 